Process for carroting fur for felting



Patented "Dec. 2, 1947 1 3;

PRooEssroaoAimoTmG FUR FOR VFIFELTING Milton Weissman, Rego Park, N. Y., assignor to A. Papish, Inc., Danbury, Conn.-, a'corporation of Connecticut No Drawing.

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to the processing of fur fibres preliminary to the felting operation thereof and it has for its object a process which will avoid the use of mercury nitrate which is customarily used with nitric acid in aqueous medium, and which employs a reagent combination inexpensive and certain in its action.

About the year 1725 the discovery was made that if, before removal from the pelt, the fur be brushed with a dilute solution of nitric acid and mercuric nitrate, very satisfactory felting properties are imparted to the fur. It, is a treatment which has continued in use until the present day.

The most objectionable feature of the mercury carroting process is that it is highly toxic to the operating personnel engaged in the batting industry. Therefore, a great deal of effort has been expended in an effort to discover a successful non-mercuric carrot.

The carroting process is usually accomplished by brushing the chemical carroting solution into the fur fibres while they are attached to the pelt.

- Other alternative methods sometimes used are either spraying the fibres or total immersion thereof in the chemical solution; then the fur fibres are dried and subsequently removed from the pelt. Thereupon they are ready for the felting operation. In practice, however, carroted fur is generally stored for substantial periods of time before being utilized in the felting operations.

There are several non-mercuric carroting processes known today. However, the fact remains that mercury carrot is still preponderantly used Application October 25, Serial No. 416,534

in hat manufacture. The reason for this is that In the art various other acid hydrolyzing agents, including hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, and mixtures thereof, have been proposed and may be used in substitution of the nitric acid, when desired, and various substitutions for peroxide of hydrogen set forth in the art may likewise be employed, if desired.

Because of the different properties of the various types of fur fibres suitable for felting operations and because of the variations possible in 2 the dryin conditions, those versed in the carroting art know that for any iven set of operating conditions the proportions of the carroting solution can best be determined by test upon the particular fur fibres to be treated. It therefore is understood that the example is illustrative and that the proportions may vary in accordance with particular conditions. The solution .may be combed into the furwhile it is still on the pelts and after drying the 'fur maybe cut' from'the pelts and used in the felting operation or-aged by storing. Ihave found that the felting characteristic of the fur treated in accordance with my process is substantially improved. The carroted fur may be used with entire safety without any toxic effect. There is no discoloration of the fur so that white and light shades of ,fur fibres remain unchanged as to shade. Quick starting is a characteristic of 'my process and thus the felting operation is rapidly produced and manufacturing costs lowered.

Having described my invention, whatI claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A process for carroting fur for felting which consists in treating such fur fibres with a solu-- tion containing a sodium salt of condensed dinaphthyl-methane-disulfonic acid, a hydrolizing agent and an oxidizing agent.

2. A process for carroting fur for felting which consists in treating such fur fibres with a solution containing a sodium salt of condensed dinaphthyl-methane-disulfonic acid, nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide.

3.- A process for carroting fur for felting which consists in treating such fur fibres with a solution containing:

Per cent (approximately) A sodium salt of dinaphthyl-methane-disulfonic acid 2 Nitric acid 5 Hydrogen peroxide 2 Water 91 MILTON WEISSMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS,

3 4 Numbeni- Name Date 1,955,678; Mercier' ,Apr. 17:, 1934 QTH'ER REFERENGES' 2,179,371 Dyer Nov. 7, 1939 Weidlein, Progress, News Edition of Indus- 2,029,322 Jaeger Feb. 4, 1 3 trial and Engineering Chemistry, April 20, 1932,

FOREIGN PATENT Page S Beal etall, "Elimination of Mercury Hazard," Number Country Date News Edition, American Chemical 800., Nov. 25,

250,453 Germany awn-"S pt. 6; 1912 941, page;1234- 457,057 Germany Mar. 7 1-923- 

